Themes by tag: prisoners

Vadym Ihnashov, a sailor from Kherson, served on a Portuguese merchant ship. The man learned about the outbreak of hostilities and the occupation of his hometown from a chat in Telegram, where his frightened friends wrote that they heard explosions from the Chornobaivka village. A few days later, the ship entered the port of the Russian city of Vladivostok. There, the Russians first interrogated all the Ukrainians who worked on the ship, then forcibly abducted Vadym from the vessel and brought false charges against him for publicly calling for extremism.

A Russian court sentenced Ihnashov to 1 year and four months in prison. A week before his release, the man was even transferred to a penal colony. And there, the institution staff offered him to apply for Russian citizenship, saying that Kherson had already become part of Russia. Vadym refused.

Currently, Vadym Ihnashov is outside Ukraine, but journalists can communicate with him on WhatsApp.

• prisoners

Experts from the Media Initiative for Human Rights (MIHR) will present their analysis of the places where Ukrainian prisoners of war are being held in Russia at a briefing in Kyiv. The event will also be attended by relatives of the prisoners.

Speakers:

– Tetyana Katrychenko, the MIHR coordinator 

– Maria Klymyk, investigative journalist at the MIHR

– Andriy Yakovlev, lawyer, and expert with the MIHR

– Iryna Latysh, a prisoner of war relative

– Nataliia Yepifanova, head of the “Warrior’s Liberation” public organization, a relative of a prisoner of war

For reference: Based on interviews with service members released from captivity, the Media Initiative for Human Rights identified and mapped 42 places of detention of prisoners of war on the territory of Russia. These are pre-trial detention centers and penal colonies. The public organization describes ten of them in detail in new analytical material. These are the places where the highest number of prisoners of war are held and where a large number of war crimes are committed.

• prisoners
• Kyiv

On June 24, within the XI Book Arsenal, journalists will have a chance to hear the story of the women held captive by Russians (WOMEN’S VOICES).

Participants of the event:

– Mariana Mamonova, a military medic from Lviv, who was captured pregnant while leaving Mariupol and held prisoner for six months;

– Viktoriia Andrusha, a teacher from the Chernihiv region who was abducted by the occupiers from her parent’s house and held in captivity for six months;

– Lyudmila Huseynova, a human rights activist from the Donetsk region who was arrested in 2019 and held in prison for three years.

Journalists can be assisted in organizing professional comments on this topic or an interview with one of the event participants.

• prisoners
• women

Tetyana Marina, the wife of the Spanish citizen Mariano García Calatayud, who was kidnapped in Kherson, is seeking the release of her husband from russian captivity. Mario is a well-known volunteer who has been living in Ukraine since 2014. On March 19, 2022, the Spaniard was kidnapped by the russians. Since that time, the wife has received only one confirmation from the military prosecutor’s office of the Black Sea Fleet that her husband has been detained, but there is no information in which pre-trial detention center he is being held. Tetyana assumes that Mario is in Crimea, because that is where the reply came from.

For reference: Currently, there are more than 22,000 civilians held hostage in russia and the temporarily occupied territories. 

• prisoners
• volunteers

On May 27, relatives of civilian prisoners from Kyiv region will organize the peace walk “Free the civilian prisoners.”

The organizers of the walk say that it has been almost 14 months since the civilian residents of Dymer and neighboring communities were taken captive by the aggressor, the russian federation.

“Thousands of civilians are currently held captive by russia. They are tortured, starved, put under psychological pressure and placed in an information vacuum. Innocent people are abused morally and physically. All of them should be released. WITHOUT CONDITIONS AND EXCHANGES!”.

Time: 9:30 AM

Location: Dymer Village Council.

• occupation
• prisoners
• russian crimes
• Kyiv

On May 20, a charity marathon “Run for those from Steel. RUN FOR AZOVSTAL. Run to support the defenders of Azovstal.” (With the support of the YOUkraine Charitable Foundation and the Women of Steel public organization)

The organizers want to remind about and call for the release of prisoners who have not yet returned home, to help their families, and to help those who have already been released from captivity.

The charity event aims to raise UAH 200 thousand. All the funds raised will be used for rehabilitation activities for the released prisoners and support for their families.

Among other things, the event program includes an exhibition and sale of “Eyes of Azov” exclusive photographs signed by the defenders from the former head of the Azov Regiment’s press service, Dmytro Kozatskyi, call sign Orest.

• military
• prisoners

On May 16, Media Center Ukraine — Ukrinform will host a briefing entitled “A year of leaving Azovstal steelworks: cry out, as it’s impossible to be silent” by representatives of Women of Steel NGO.

In May, it will be one year since Azovstal steelworks defenders left the plant’s territory after 86 days of unprecedented defense in the tripled enemy encirclement. Back then, the whole world admired the strength of the spirit of Azovstal defenders. However, neither the fighters nor their families could have imagined that following the evacuation from the drop point of five-ton aerial bombs, they would be sent to torture chambers for an indefinite period of time.

Participants of the briefing:

– Nataliia Zarytska, Chair of the “Women of Steel” Council of Wives and Mothers of Ukraine’s Defenders,” wife of a released from captivity soldier of the Azov Regiment;

– Nataliia Kravtsova, mother of a captured Azovstal defender;

– Nelya Shastun, mother of Azov battalion soldiers, whose one son was killed and the other was held in captivity;

– Anastasiia Mikhilova, who was held for two months in an Azovstal bunker with her four-year-old son;

– Sofiia Cherepanova, sister of a captured Azovstal defender.

Media accreditation required.

• military
• prisoners
• women
• Kyiv

On May 13, a meeting with Valeriia Subotina (call sign “Nava”) will take place in Kyiv. The woman spent 327 days in russian captivity. While still under siege at the Azovstal plant, she married a border guard, Andrii Subotin, on May 5 (the birthday of the Azov regiment). The man even made engagement rings for them out of foil. However, he died shortly after, on May 7.

Attendees will have an opportunity to listen to Valeriia’s poems from the poetry collection “Flowers and Weapons,” which was republished due to Andrii Subotin’s parents’ efforts while the woman was in captivity. After the event, Valeria will talk to the media representatives. Considering her physical and psychological exhaustion, the organizers kindly ask to limit the number of questions, but there will be an opportunity to arrange further interviews.

• military
• prisoners
• women
• Kyiv

The relatives of imprisoned Azov regiment defenders will hold a media briefing at the Media Center Ukraine – Ukrinform on May 16 to discuss the topic: “A year of leaving Azovstal steelworks: cry out, as it’s impossible to be silent.” Nataliia Zarytska, Chair of the “Woman of Steel” Council of Wives and Mothers of Ukraine’s Defenders,” wife of a release from captivity soldier of the Azov Regiment; Nataliia Kravtsova, mother of a captured Azovstal defender; Nelya Shastun, mother of Azov battalion soldiers, whose one son was killed and the other was held in captivity; Anastasiia Mikhilova, one held for two months in an Azovstal bunker with her four-year-old son; Sofiia Cherepanova, sister of a captured Azovstal defender will become participants in the event. 

Accreditation is required.

For reference: On May 16, Azov fighters started leaving the Azovstal steel plant, where they had held the line for several months. Over 7000 Azov fighters are still in enemy prisons.

• military
• prisoners
• Kyiv

On April 10, during the exchange of prisoners, Valeriia Subotina, call sign “Nava,” Spokeswoman for the “Azov” regiment, returned to Ukraine. The woman was captured on May 16, 2022, during the withdrawal of the Ukrainian military from Azovstal.

Her love story went viral in Ukraine and the world. While still under siege at the Azovstal plant, she married a border guard, Andrii Subotin, on May 5 (the birthday of the Azov regiment). He even made engagement rings for them out of foil. However, he died shortly after, on May 7.

• military
• prisoners
• women